Cost of Living Comparison Between Bagamoyo and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bagamoyo and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $393 in Bagamoyo versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $655 in Bagamoyo versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $916 in Bagamoyo versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bagamoyo costs roughly 58% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bagamoyo 71% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.87 TZS 4,920

$2.08 ฿69.5

-10.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.11 TZS 29.2K

$19.61 ฿655

-43.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 TZS 22.8K

$5.67 ฿189

52.73%

Cappuccino

$1.89 TZS 4,967

$1.81 ฿60.3

4.42%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 TZS 867

$0.77 ฿25.65

-57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 TZS 462

$0.35 ฿11.53

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 TZS 2,461

$2.21 ฿73.9

-57.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 TZS 4,839

$3.79 ฿127

-51.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 TZS 2,087

$2.05 ฿68.4

-61.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 TZS 1,517

$1.51 ฿50.6

-61.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.40 TZS 1,046

$1.40 ฿46.69

-71.43%

Eggs

$1.93 TZS 5,067

$2.26 ฿75.4

-14.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.38 TZS 24.7K

$16.19 ฿540

-42.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 TZS 12.7K

$2.90 ฿96.7

66.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.99 TZS 10.5K

$9.42 ฿314

-57.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 TZS 6,571

$2.68 ฿89.4

-6.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 TZS 2,526

$1.09 ฿36.37

-11.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 TZS 2,635

$1.62 ฿54.0

-38.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 TZS 1,555

$1.46 ฿48.74

-59.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 TZS 758

$1.28 ฿42.65

-77.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.29 TZS 755

$1.06 ฿35.31

-72.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 TZS 2,343

$0.72 ฿23.94

23.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 TZS 940

$0.53 ฿17.56

-32.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 TZS 6,105

$4.23 ฿141

-45.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.86 TZS 18.0K

$18.29 ฿611

-62.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 TZS 2,176

$1.63 ฿54.4

-49.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 TZS 4,016

$2.90 ฿96.8

-47.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 TZS 4,279

$1.17 ฿39.14

39.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 TZS 3,908

$0.58 ฿19.30

156.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.44 TZS 35.3K

$2.39 ฿79.6

462.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 TZS 3,586

$1.45 ฿48.41

-6.21%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$16.9K TZS 44.3M

$21.0K ฿701.4K

-19.77%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.0K TZS 68.2M

$26.4K ฿882.0K

-1.79%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$57.7 TZS 151.8K

$63.7 ฿2,125

-9.30%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.64 TZS 12.2K

$12.89 ฿430

-64.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.61 TZS 59.4K

$20.52 ฿685

10.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 TZS 13.1K

$6.58 ฿220

-24.47%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$559 TZS 1.5M

$784 ฿26.2K

-28.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K TZS 35.6M

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-7.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.03 TZS 36.9K

$55.1 ฿1,840

-74.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.66 TZS 70.1K

$24.74 ฿826

7.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.94 TZS 115.5K

$94.1 ฿3,142

-53.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.3 TZS 174.2K

$74.0 ฿2,469

-10.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$56.2 TZS 147.7K

$490 ฿16.4K

-88.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 TZS 603.3K

$891 ฿29.8K

-74.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 TZS 301.1K

$521 ฿17.4K

-78.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.25

5.57

227.65%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bagamoyo: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $56.2 in Bagamoyo and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in Bagamoyo vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $143 vs $241 per month, with Bagamoyo cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bagamoyo vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bagamoyo wins on cost – living expenses run 137% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bagamoyo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $589 in Bagamoyo and $1,398 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $56.2 in Bagamoyo versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $559 in Bagamoyo versus $784 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bagamoyo – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $393 in Bagamoyo versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bagamoyo but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bagamoyo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bagamoyo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $393 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bagamoyo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bagamoyo and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bagamoyo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.